Yakura making most of his stint, and body, for Rivermen

PEORIA — Dean Yakura has been a hit on the Peoria Rivermen penalty-kill unit, literally and figuratively.

"I've been hit on every part of my body this season," the veteran winger said. "Blocking shots is the goal with the penalty-kill unit, it's just something you have to be willing to do.

"I blocked a shot with the back of my head, every inch of my legs and skates, my stomach, my chest, my back, my hands. There really isn't anywhere on me that hasn't been hit.

"You have to sacrifice your body, and that's what I think I can bring to the team, give to our guys."

And that kill unit, led by Yakura, has erased 29 of its last 31 chances through the last nine games, a big reason why the Rivermen are on a 5-1-1 roll and veteran goaltender Kyle Rank is sitting at the top of the SPHL rankings.

"Our guys do a great job of clearing and killing those chances," Rank said. "The PK unit has just been stellar."

It's an unsung, and unforgiving role, one embraced by the unassuming Yakura, who was initially released from Peoria's training camp, then returned after the season started to win a job.

"I've always been a PK guy, I love blocking shots and doing things other players don't like to do," Yakura said. "We've been on fire with this unit because we have a lot of guys, not just me, committed to it."

Yakura, 28, grew up in West Vancouver, B.C., the son of Japanese parents Patrick and Reiko. He started skating at age 4, has rooted a lifetime for the Canucks, where he idolized Trevor Lind and Pavel Bure, and scratched his way into NCAA Div. I hockey with American International College (Springfield, Mass.).

"AIC was the only real offer I had, and they flew me out for a recruiting trip and made an amazing scholarship offer and I jumped at the chance," Yakura said.

He played four seasons there and graduated as class Valedictorian, with a degree in marketing.

As a pro, he has played 24 games for ECHL Cincinnati and Idaho, played in the SPHL for Pensacola and Peoria, had a stint in 2011-12 in Danville of the Federal Hockey League, and last season headed to Japan to play for the Nikko Icebucks in the Asia League.

"(Former Rivermen center) Matt McIlvane was coaching at Danville, and he helped my career so much," Yakura said. "He told me over the summer to go to Peoria. About 20 minutes after I talked to him, (Rivermen coach) Jean-Guy Trudel called and I knew it was the right place for me to be.

"This franchise has so much history, and I wanted to be a part of it."

Yakura initially didn't make the team, as Peoria opened the season with a roster heavily stacked with offensive skill players. But when Peoria's defense and penalty-kill units lagged, Trudel brought the gritty veteran back. His forward partner on the kill unit has been Adam Hartley, and they are part of a Peoria unit that erased 26 consecutive advantages in one stretch through last week.

They are an SPHL version of Richard Pion and Mark Bassen, the tandem that once killed 98 consecutive power plays for the old IHL Rivermen.

"He has been phenomenal on that PK," Trudel said. "You can see those guys really have a competitive thing going there, you can see the pride in their eyes, they are determined not to get scored on."

Said Yakura: "Special teams are a mainstay, you don't win playoff games or go far without good units."

RIVER READINGS: Rivermen winger Dean Yakura's family includes Paris Jackson, a 10-year veteran receiver with the CFL's B.C. Lions. ... There will be some reunions on the ice when the Rivermen open a three-game weekend Friday with a pair of games against Fayetteville and one Sunday against the Mississippi RiverKings. Rivermen goaltender Kyle Rank was acquired from Fayetteville in a trade earlier this season. Rivermen winger Aaron McGill was acquired in another trade with Fayatteville, in exchange for skilled center Corey Tamblyn.

Dave Eminian covers the Rivermen for the Journal Star. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

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